An evaluation of organ dose modulation on a GE optima CT660-computed tomography scanner

Abstract

Organ Dose Modulation or ODM (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) was evaluated to characterize changes in CTDIvol, image noise, effective dose, and organ dose saving to patients. Three separate investigations were completed: a tube current modulation phantom was scanned with and without ODM, a CTDIvol phantom was scanned with ODM, and Monte Carlo simulations were performed. ODM was found to reduce the CTDIvol by approximately 20% whilst increasing the noise by approximately 14%. This was reflected in the dose distribution, where the anterior peripheral dose was reduced by approximately 40% whilst the identical posterior dose remained largely unaffected. Enabling ODM for the entire scan would reduce the effective dose by approximately 24%; however, this saving reduces to 5% if the images are matched for CTDIvol. These savings mostly originated from reductions in dose to the stomach, breasts, colon, bladder, and liver. ODM has the effect of a global reduction in CTDIvol with an associated increase in image noise. The benefit of ODM was found to be reduced when the dose-saving contribution from the reduced CTDIvol was removed. Given that there is a higher contribution to effective dose throughout the body from the anterior projections, consideration should be given to applying ODM throughout.